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HomeMy WebLinkAbout92-60 - Ban of Offshore Oil Drilling Until 2002• RESOLUTION NO. 92- 60 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH SUPPORTING ADOPTION OF H.R. 776 PERTAINING TO BAN ON OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING UNTIL 2002. WHEREAS, the House of Representatives has adopted a comprehensive energy bill known as H.R. 776; and WHEREAS, H.R. 776 would establish a ban on all new offshore drilling off the coast of California until the year 2002; and WHEREAS, H.R. 776 also contains provisions that require increased energy efficiency and promotes the use of alternative fuels; and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach, County of Orange and other Orange County Coastal cities have consistently opposed oil drilling offshore of Orange County; and WHEREAS, the moratorium on offshore drilling contained in H.R. 776 is consistent with the position taken by the City of Newport Beach and other coastal cities that drilling off of Orange County is not consistent with the public's interest, will do nothing to reduce American dependency on foreign oil and that dependency on foreign oil is best addressed through a comprehensive energy policy such as that proposed by H.R. 776; and WHEREAS, the Senate Energy Bill incorporates a ban on leasing until the year 2000 and proposes an equitable sharing of revenue derived from OCS Leasing, but does not incorporate important provisions of H.R. 776 such as an environmental studies requirement, buy backs for active leases, and permanent protection for the Washington coast. 1 • NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newport Beach as follows: 1. That the City Council of the City of Newport Beach fully supports H.R. 776, the comprehensive energy bill adopted by the House of Representatives; 2. The following provisions of H.R. 776 should be approved by House and Senate conferees: (a) A moratorium on leasing and pre - leasing activities until the year 2002; (b) A requirement that environmental studies be subjected to peer review for at least 180 days prior to any lease sale; (c) A mandatory buy -back of already leased tracts in Bristol Bay, the outer banks and southwest Florida; (d) A fair and equitable OCS revenue sharing; and (e) A permanent oil drilling ban within the proposed Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. 3. Copies of this Resolution and an appropriate cover letter shall be directed to all probable key conferees as well as all Orange County Congressional representatives and Senators Seymour and Cranston; 4. Members of the Tidelands Affairs Committee are hereby requested to contact probable joint conferees and express the position of the City of Newport Beach as well as contact other Orange County coastal cities and encourage them to adopt similar resolutions expressing their support of H.R. 776. ADOPTED, this 8th day of June ATTEST: City Clerk , 1992. Lzb" �__�Cx��� MAYOR